Acts 8:14-25
Yesterday I suggested that we list Simon the Sorcerer as a believer and see what follows in the next reading. Well, the next reading, itself, is mixed. First Peter condemns Simon for wanting to buy “Holy Spirit power”. Then Simon apparently “repents” and asks for prayer that Peter’s condemnation not fall on him. But does Simon really ask forgiveness and truly repent? To me, it seems not. It seems that he was mainly concerned, in the immediate, …that nothing of what you have said may come upon me (v. 24b), but was more interested in the miracles and having that power that he saw displayed from the laying on of hands. The Chronological Study Bible has a large box item on Simon, with a focus that he was considered a heretic by the early church. I would encourage you to read that for yourselves or look him up online. Here’s one reference: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Simon_Magus. (Please forgive the Wikipedia cite, but it’s a good starting point.)
Theologians and Bible scholars have a lot of fun with Acts 8:14-17, specifically …they laid their hands on them and they received the Holy Spirit. (v. 17) In a nutshell, the argument is whether the Samaritans received the Holy Spirit through the laying on of hands or was that simply a manifestation of the Holy Spirit that they had received at Baptism? In simple terms, overstated, it is basically a Baptist vs. Pentecostal issue.
I am impressed by the early church’s apostolic oversight – sending Peter and John to Samaria when …the apostles at Jerusalem heard that Samaria had received the word of God (v. 14a). In so doing they uncovered the beginning of this possible heretical work of Simon the Magician. Later the apostles will want to hear from Peter about his visit to Cornelius (Acts 10-11) and Paul’s outreach to the Gentiles. They provided us a good model for our own diocesan structure.
Slava Bohu!